TREE AND SHRUB PRUNING

Choosing A Tree Care Professional

When you Google “Tree Service Near Me” there will be scores of tree services that pop up on your screen. How do you know which one to choose? Will they be knowledgeable about what and where to cut on that prized tree in your front yard? Will they leave your shrubs looking like an uneven sculpture of vertical sticks?

The first thing to look for when choosing an arborist to prune your trees and shrubs is to make sure they are an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist or BCMA (Board Certified Master Arborist). The ISA has developed a standardized test to make sure an arborist has a more-than-general knowledge of trees and shrubs care.

This exam tests the knowledge of the participant in Pruning, Safe Work Practices, Tree Risk Management, Diagnosis and Treatment, Soil Management, Identification and Selection, Tree Biology, Urban Forestry, Installment and Establishment, and Tree Protection. The arborist has to have a passing grade in all of the categories and an overall passing grade to earn the credential of ISA Board Certified Master Arborist. Once certified, the arborist has to continue to stay educated; there is a requirement of obtaining 60 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) every 3 years in order to keep the certification valid. It takes a lot of time and dedication to acquire and maintain the certification, and most people who have obtained it will at least have demonstrated the knowledge needed to properly care for and maintain trees.

Why Do I Need My Trees Pruned?

Most people think that trees are maintenance-free yard items and don’t need much in the way of attention. While it’s true that trees growing in the forest live most of their lives with little to no care, the same cannot be said about urban trees. The reasons you might need to have your trees and shrubs pruned are:

  • Reduce the risk of failure from weak or dead branches

  • Manage tree health

  • Provide clearance

  • Improve aesthetics

  • Manage flower or fruit production

  • Reduce shade and wind resistance

Chuck Brasher, my mentor when I first started in the Urban Forestry industry back in 1985 had a slogan that he always used: “Nature At It’s Worst Is Better Than The Wrong Kind Of Work, Or Work Not Well Done”. At Ulrich Tree Care we have the education, experience, and expertise to know how your specific tree species is supposed to be cared for - and what will be the best pruning practice for its long-term survival.

What does the term “Pruning” refer to?

Pruning can have different meanings to different people. Untrained tree workers consider all trees to be trimmed the same way. But in actuality, there are several different methods and techniques that professional arborists use to train or maintain a tree to accommodate the tree owner and protect the integrity of the tree. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has written some standards for tree pruning in the A300 section. The ANSI A300 standards are the generally accepted industry standards for tree care practices. Some of the terms that you should hear a trained arborist use may be:

  • Crown Cleaning - selective pruning to remove dead, diseased or broken tree parts

  • Crown Thinning - selective pruning to reduce canopy density (usually stated as a percentage of canopy density

  • Canopy Raising - selective pruning to provide vertical clearance

  • Canopy Reduction - selective pruning to decrease height and/or spread

  • Utility Pruning - pruning to prevent the loss of service of an overhead utility (electricity, cable, phone, etc)

  • Hazard Pruning - pruning to reduce a tree’s potential for storm damage or other defined hazard

At Ulrich Tree Care we know our tree care.

It’s all we do. We would love the opportunity to partner with you to keep your trees and shrubs in their optimum growing condition—and stay within your budget. We are never pushy in our sales approach and will give you the same advice we’d give our family. Sometimes your trees will need a fair amount of work. Sometimes they won’t need anything. You can trust us to be honest, professional, knowledgeable, and friendly.